<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Grief is the price we pay for Love by SpookyWitchBabe</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24367957">Grief is the price we pay for Love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyWitchBabe/pseuds/SpookyWitchBabe'>SpookyWitchBabe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Grief/Mourning, Spencer Reid Needs a Hug, Team as Family, give Spencer Reid a break 2020, idk what im doing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 11:00:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>978</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24367957</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyWitchBabe/pseuds/SpookyWitchBabe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A few members of the team attempt to make their resident genius feel better after the loss of his girlfriend.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jennifer "JJ" Jareau &amp; Spencer Reid, Maeve Donovan/Spencer Reid, Penelope Garcia &amp; Spencer Reid, Spencer Reid &amp; Original Female Character(s), Spencer Reid &amp; The BAU Team</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Grief is the price we pay for Love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I got bored and felt bad for Spencer when i rewatched the episodes with Maeve so heres my attempt at giving him like,,,a minute of happiness for once.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Penelope, JJ, and Caroline stood outside of Reid’s apartment. Baskets littered the floor, all filled with different treats and gifts. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Are these all from you?” JJ leaned against the wall next to the door. Penelope shrugged with a slight smile.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What's in that one?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nuts and seeds. I’m trying to think of something to make him feel better so I went all Reid-like and did a bunch of research and it turns out nuts and seeds have naturally occurring magnesium which helps produce serotonin which is the happy happy joy joy chemical in the brain. Nothings working.” Setting down another basket, the three women stared at the door. Behind it sat their resident genius, Doctor Spencer Reid. After the death of his girlfriend two weeks prior, he’d locked himself in his apartment. The Las Vegas native refused to talk to anyone, even Hotch. Garcia looked longingly at the peephole. “My poor boy.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>JJ moved closer to the door. “I just hope he knows that we’re all here for him, no matter what.” The last part of her sentence was almost yelled through the door. The agent turned back to her teammates and shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Caroline sighed, “Umm...knock twice if you're conscious?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Silence.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Knock.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Knock.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The girls let out breaths they didn't know they'd been holding. That was the most they’d gotten out of him since they came home. The group stayed there for a few minutes before they needed to leave unless they wanted to be late to work. Penelope and JJ linked arms, the agent holding hers out for her ginger teammate. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Caroline shook her head. “I’ll meet you guys there.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Albeit reluctant, the two blondes left her at the door. Once she knew they were gone, Caroline pulled a white envelope from her jacket. The front of it read “for Spencer”.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The agent leaned against the door. “Spencer, I know you’re there. I’m gonna….leave a letter for you out here. You don't need to read it but I think it would help you, even if it’s just a little bit. Take your time, there’s no rush.” Placing the letter on the floor, Caroline backed up. “Take care of yourself.” With those words, the FBI agent headed down the stairs, leaving the genius alone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Minutes passed with no movement from inside the apartment. Slowly, the door opened. A hand reached out, pulling the baskets and the letter inside before shutting. The hallway was once again silent.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Inside the apartment, a disheveled version of Spencer Reid sat on the floor now surrounded by baskets and one envelope. Gathering the courage, and strength, he picked up the letter. He stared at it for a moment before turning it over and opening it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Dear Spencer,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Its been two weeks and you still aren’t answering your phone, so I figured this was the best way to talk to you. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Getting over death isn't easy, especially when its someone you love. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>There's losing a grandparent or a parent, but when its a lover its much different. Trust me, I know.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know that before I came to Quantico I was a cop in LA, right? Well I didn’t exactly tell you and the team everything.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Back in Los Angeles, I was married to another cop. He and I went to school together and went through the academy together. We started dating back in high school and got engaged when we joined the LAPD. We got married a while after that. We never had a big celebration, just some family and friends. Our honeymoon was quick and we were back on the force a little over a week after we got married. Everything was going so well. That was until we were involved with taking down a local gang. Our team headed in, we were so confident. The gang was small, we thought it would end with them surrendering. Then they started shooting. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>My Danny got shot.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He went down, hard.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I watched as he started bleeding out onto the floor. I broke protocol and immediately went to him. I got shot in the leg but I didn’t care. I was too late. He got hit in the chest. I tried to save him but there was nothing I could do.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We weren't even married a year. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I thought that the world had ended. And to me it did. I was in a heavy depression for months. I couldn’t do anything without being reminded of him. He was everywhere. Eventually, I returned to the force with even more determination, everything I was gonna do was gonna be for Danny. Then, as you know, I joined the BAU.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Its been almost four years since he died and not a day goes by that I don't think about him. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>However, after all this time I've learned something. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Time is the best healer. You wont get better in a matter of months, maybe even years. But it will get better. I promise.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t give up. Things may look bleak but there's always a silver lining.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You can do this,</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Caroline</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>P.s. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You better be eating and drinking properly or Penelope might break in and feed you herself.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Spencer smiled sadly. Grabbing a packet of sunflower seeds from Garcia’s most recent basket he made his way over to his couch, careful not to step on the books that were scattered across his floor. The genius plopped onto his couch, picking at the seeds in his hand. Out of the corner of his eye he could see it. The book sat on his coffee table, almost taunting him. The white lettering seemed to happy and pure, too bright. Setting down the letter, he picked up the book. With a heavy heart, he began to read.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.” -E.A. Bucchianeri</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>